Preview: Internet Week NYC

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Even if you're not a techie, there are plenty of reasons to attend this year's Internet Week NYC

By Helaina Hovitz

The weeklong event, headquartered at the Metropolitan Pavilion (125 West 18th Street), kicks off on May 20th. Panels, events, meetups, classes, exhibits, screenings and parties will also take place citywide, focusing on topics like beauty and fashion, sports, healthcare, food, and art.

"Tech is playing an increasingly stronger role at everyone's job, even if you don't work in technology. Everyone has to be comfortable with it at a baseline," saidFestival Director Caroline Waxler, adding that it's also a great opportunity to take a look at how tech impacts our local economy.

Eyebeam, a free gallery in West Chelsea, will be hosting an interactive art group show at IWNYC headquarters that focuses on the future of relationships in a wired world.

"We try to appeal to a broad audience by having a wide range of exhibitions that appeal to a broader audience. You don't need to be a coder to understand what's going on," said Meredith Niemczyk, Eyebeam's Communications Director. "For example, Addie Wagenknecht and Pablo Garcia went into sex chat rooms asking sexcam people to recreate classic poses from Renaissance works of art in order to question idea of what is art is, especially now in a tech age where we're bombarded by imagery that's sexual but also commercial."

Eyebeam's events will also include a workshop called "Creating your own Subnode: Networking with Raspberry Pi + Node.js" and "Paintshop" an anonymous digital canvas that anyone can access and interact with online.

If you sign up for WalkaboutNYC, you'll be able to tour offices of companies like Open Sky and GroupMe (May 17th 11:30 a.m. ? 6 p.m., RSVP required).

According to the event's co-founder, Danny Wen, most of the participating offices shift away from "that cubicle land where everyone kind of goes away and into their own world," and instead sport social areas with treats and entertainment like video games and ping pong.

"Each company will have a different feel and culture. You can sense it in the first minute," said Wen, adding that his office just got a piano.